U.N. Security Council Votes To Add Sanctions on Libya

The Security Council voted Thursday to tighten trade sanctions on Libya to
force the turnover of two suspects in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103
over Scotland.

The new sanctions, which go into effect Dec. 1, included a ban on sales to
Libya of equipment for refining and exporting petroleum and a limited
freeze on Libyan financial assets overseas. They expanded sanctions imposed
in March 1992 that reduced Libyan diplomatic representation abroad, sought
to ground the national airline and embargoed arms sales.

The decision Thursday retained those measures while adding the new
restrictions but it fell well short of the global oil embargo President
Clinton promised to seek in a campaign pledge to relatives of those who
died on the sabotaged flight.

The Security Council adopted the resolution, put forward by the United
States, France and Britain, by a vote of 11 in favor and none opposed, with
four abstentions: China, Djibouti, Morocco, and Pakistan. The three allies
gained one more vote in favor-from Cape Verde-than when the earlier
sanctions were adopted. Russia, which recently threatened to veto the
measure, voted in favor after intense negotiations between Moscow and
Washington.

The resolution "demonstrates for all to see that this Council is steadfast
in its opposition to international terrorism," said U.S. Ambassador
Madeleine Albright after the vote. "To those who say it is not strong
enough, I ask this: Why did Libya try so hard to stop this resolution if
the sting of its new sanctions is so mild?"

About two dozen of the victims' relatives were present. Most praised the
move though they remained skeptical that it would work.

"The Security Council has shown it is not willing to stand by while Libya
continues to defy the world," said Rosemary Wolfe, the leader of a
relatives' group. Her stepdaughter Miriam was aboard the flight that
exploded over Lockerbie, killing 270 people on board or on the ground
below. But Wolfe added: "We hope next time they will go for the full
embargo."

Germany and Italy, which rely heavily on petroleum imported from Libya,
opposed the proposed oil embargo.

Thursday's resolution further reduces Libya's diplomatic missions, sets up
new restrictions to block Libya's national airlines and impedes the
country's maintenance of its airfields.

But the financial freeze exempts Libyan income from petroleum and
agricultural products -- Libya's only significant exports. Libya earns an
estimated $10 billion a year from oil sales. Also, as more than two months
have elapsed since the Council began to consider the new sanctions, Libya
had ample time to withdraw its funds from foreign accounts.